Sparking young people’s interest is a crucial part of creating a deeper understanding of Victorian Aboriginal Language revival in the broader community. On February 23, Mandy presented a workshop to Year 9 students at Mount Scopus Memorial College in Burwood with a focus on language and culture. She explained her Woiwurrung language revival story which generated a lot of questions in relation to Aboriginal language and identity from the students. At the end of the workshop, Mandy taught the students how to sing "heads-shoulders-knees-and-toes" in the Woiwurrung language.

Ittay Flescher, Community Service and Achshav Coordinator at Mount Scopus Memorial College, had attended a VACL event at the State Library of Victoria and was keen to invite VACL to present a cultural program at their school. He described Mandy’s presentation as exceptional due to her “breadth of technical knowledge of the history and related issues, as well as her ability to relay their symbolic cultural significance to the students.” Ittay added that Mandy presented a very difficult history with both honesty and sensitivity, being inclusive and not alienating the audience of students.

Mandy was interested in hearing about the history of Hebrew language revival and the parallels with Victorian Aboriginal languages. Students at Mount Scopus Memorial College were appreciative of this opportunity to discuss language revival with Mandy. Drawing these parallels and discussing difficult history has a positive impact on young peoples’ cross-cultural awareness and understanding.

Paul Paton, Aunty Fay Stewart-Muir, Mathew Gardiner and Kris Eira travelled to Kalgoorlie for the 2016 WANALA Aboriginal Languages Conference, hosted by the Western and Northern Aboriginal Languages Alliance. The conference is for people in Aboriginal language centres, language projects, schools with Aboriginal language courses, Aboriginal language speakers and anyone involved in language work or who wishes to learn more about the work being undertaken on Aboriginal language preservation and use. The conference carried the theme of Building Resilience: Identity, intellect and the role of languages and was held at the Goldfields Aboriginal Language Centre, Kalgoorlie, Western Australia, 16-18 June.

The meeting Indigenous Languages: preservation and revitalization (articles 13, 14 and 16 of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples) was undertaken to build upon recommendations from the previous expert group meeting in 2008, focusing on the principles of cultural diversity and indigenous languages as a way to promote intercultural dialogue and affirm indigenous peoples identity.

Both Paul and Daryn had the opportunity to speak at the meeting about the state of language revival in Australia and demonstrate projects and initiates which are making positive inroads into language revival and cultural strengthening.